Pickering declared a willing host community for future gaming

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The path to gaming in Pickering

After voting down a motion to declare Pickering a willing host for a casino in April 2012, council has now reversed course and voted in favour of declaring.

The move is aimed at improving the City's position in negotiations with neighbouring Ajax, which reaps annual revenue of nearly $7 million from its Ajax Downs slots facility.

As part of the OLG's modernization plan, GTA municipalities were grouped into gaming zones and a new gaming facility was proposed for the area. Ajax, Whitby and Pickering comprise one gaming zone under the new plan.

In response to the new plan, Whitby declared itself a willing host in September and entered into negotiations with Ajax to receive a share of the Ajax Downs revenue, in exchange for not pursuing a gaming facility in the municipality. Whitby council voted to reject an offer of a 15-per cent share annually, or about $1 million per year, choosing to pursue the opportunity to host a facility locally.

In response, Pickering Mayor Dave Ryan wrote a letter expressing interest in similar talks between his City and Ajax, since Pickering is a part of the same gaming zone, but was rebuffed because the City had not declared itself a willing host.

In response, Coun. David Pickles put forward a new motion to declare Pickering a willing host for an OLG gaming facility, which was approved by council Dec. 10.

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At a meeting on Dec. 10, council voted to approve a motion put forward by Councillor David Pickles declaring the City a willing host for an OLG gaming facility, directing staff to report back to council on anticipated financial benefits and other impacts, and expressing support for revenue sharing among municipalities within the same gaming zone, which in Pickering's case includes Whitby and Ajax.

"At present if there's one willing host community within those three, that's where the casino will go and that municipality would get the full revenue," Coun. Pickles said, noting Ajax receives about $7 million yearly from Ajax Downs, or about $37 million since it opened, which has been used for community infrastructure projects.

"Becoming a willing host might mean a casino is coming our way, would probably mean revenue sharing is coming our way, but I don't think we would see those opportunities without declaring ourselves," he said.

"Whichever way you look at it, it's money we don't have right now that could add to our tax rate and that would be well used here in Pickering."

Several residents attended the Dec. 10 council meeting to express support of the motion, saying adding non-property tax revenue to the City's coffers was a good idea.

"We would like to support this in that it does not commit us to actually having a casino here but does put us in the position of receiving dollars," said Chuck Kent, speaking for several area residents as president of Durham Condominium Corporation 93. "I think the City Of Pickering or any community is not in the position these days of refusing dollars."

Greenwood resident Les Fisher noted gambling is here to stay in the province and the City should take advantage.

"This is something the City of Pickering can do for taxpayers that will benefit us for a very long time," he explained.

Coun. Jennifer O'Connell cautioned residents not to be blinded by the idea of millions of dollars coming into the City, noting the City would be putting itself in a tough position if it came to refusing a future gaming facility.

"The rhetoric here is saying support being a willing host because it's just a tool to negotiate with Ajax, but at the end of the day the Province can put the casino anywhere in Ontario, they have that jurisdiction," she explained. "I don't want anyone to be fooled by the dangling of zero-per cent tax increases."

Both Coun. O'Connell and Coun. Bill McLean cited a 1997 referendum question on the ballot in Pickering that found the majority of residents were opposed to a casino. However, Coun. Kevin Ashe pointed to a recent Pollara poll that found 54 per cent of Pickering residents were in favour of a casino.

"Council is talking about a referendum question from 15 years ago, that's before the Internet, before Facebook, before casinos were open in Niagara, Windsor, Timmins, Thunder Bay, it's a completely different world we're living in," he said.

"I think it's prudent for us to get in the game and use the goodwill that this motion will gather in terms of a negotiating position. I really believe this is an opportunity Pickering and taxpayers can't look past. We're talking about $1 million, potentially $10 million if we're a host community, imagine the legacy programs we could have with that type money."â?¨ Council approved the motion in a vote of four to three, with councillors McLean and O'Connell and Mayor Dave Ryan dissenting.